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NewsDay

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Mushure is Soccer Star of the Year

Sport
Dynamos skipper Ocean Mushure was named Soccer Star of the Year by his club after a superb performance in the 2017 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, where he led the team to a second-place finish.

Dynamos skipper Ocean Mushure was named Soccer Star of the Year by his club after a superb performance in the 2017 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, where he led the team to a second-place finish.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

The awards ceremony was held at a hotel in Harare last night.

The Glamour Boys full-back was also recognised for his loyalty with the Most Loyal Player award. Mushure was a huge influence in Dynamos’ season where the team defied, odds to finish second, two points behind eventual champions FC Platinum.

The 32-year-old is credited for leading an average side in a difficult season where they were not expected to make an impact at the upper echelons of the log.

He started the season as a left-back, before he was pushed up-field to play as a left-winger and managed to score nine goals to finish fifth on the top goalscorers’ list.

Without his power and influence, Dynamos often looked vulnerable. However, Mushure was overlooked for the Soccer Star of the Year award, which went to FC Platinum forward Rodwell Chinyengetere while Kelvin Moyo took the first runners-up with Mushure settling for second runner-up.

He expressed his disappointment afterwards in an interview with NewsDaySport.

“I’m not happy to be voted the second runner-up. I thought I deserved better because of the contribution I made to the team this season. Compare the work that I did with the quality that was around me, and that of those who have been chosen ahead of me, I think I did better.”

He added: “I thought I did everything that was required of me as a leader of a team this season, and even contributed a lot to the national team. I won the Cosafa Cup, which might not count much on these awards, but the mere fact that I was called to the national team.

“Football-wise, I think I was way better than them. So maybe the panel was looking at other things, otherwise I did better.”

In other categories at Dynamos, Peace Makaha won the Most Improved Player, with midfielder Tichaona Chipunza being given the Most Consistent Player award.

The Most Disciplined Player award went to goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga, while left-back Romario Matova won the Rookie Player of the Year with Kudzanai Dhemere being recognised as the Most Promising Player and Cleophas Kapupurika took the Most Entertaining Player award.

Dynamos, with the aid of their principal sponsors BancABC, decided to honour their players after a good season in which they fought hard and long in the battle for the championship only to be pipped by FC Platinum on the very last day of the league programme.